


Burden of Truth

by Alidravana



Series: SEAL Team Week 2021 [3]
Category: SEAL Team (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Major Character Injury, Not a death fic, Self-Acceptance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-12 02:07:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28877679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alidravana/pseuds/Alidravana
Summary: Day 4 (Worst Fear) Prompt for SEAL Team (TV) Week 2021.An accident close to home forces Trent to face his worst fear.
Relationships: Trent Sawyer/Clay Spenser
Series: SEAL Team Week 2021 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2171745
Comments: 4
Kudos: 49





	Burden of Truth

Trent shifted awkwardly, trying to find a position that wouldn't aggravate his bruised ribs or his previously dislocated shoulder. But it was a fruitless endeavor. For whatever reason, hospital waiting chairs were the worst chairs in the world. How dare patients’ friends or families be comfortable while waiting for news on their loved ones.

The fluorescent lights that lined the hallway kept flickering, casting oddly shaped shadows along the stark white walls. Wincing, Trent rested his head in his left hand, closing his eyes in an attempt to block out the light. It was possible he had a slight concussion as well, but he wasn't going to wait for the full check up. Once the paramedic wrapped his ribs and popped his shoulder back into place, Trent had signed himself out, against medical advice. He should have at least thought to ask for a sling, but he wasn’t thinking clearly at the time. So instead he braced his shoulder against the back of the chair and tried to ignore his pain. 

As a team medic, Trent had a lot of experience waiting on patients, on his co-workers, and friends. He did his best to keep them alive and breathing in the field, and then turned them over to the professionals as soon as he could. Trent tried not to think of those who didn't make it. But Bravo wasn't spun up, they weren't in some remote location with backwards medical equipment. They were in the United States. The accident had happened at home.

The whole team had been at Ray’s for a housewarming party and it was getting late. Trent used the excuse that he wasn’t feeling that great, and him and Clay slipped out to go back to his place. Clay had been driving. They were just a few blocks away from Trent’s apartment when all of a sudden, a dark SUV came out of nowhere and t-boned the truck, hitting the driver's side straight on. 

Trent was still having trouble recalling all what happened. He remembered seeing the red and blue lights flashing of the first responders. He knows that Clay was definitely awake and breathing, as that was the first thing he checked when he came too. But then once the firefighters extracted them from the truck, the paramedics rushed off with Clay.

Trent tried to follow them, arguing that he needed to stay with Clay. But the paramedics held him back and insisted that he be checked out. They did at least drive him to the same hospital which Trent was grateful for. But now Trent was stuck.

Trent stared at the reception desk, right next to the security guard that was watching the entrances and exits, trying to get up the courage to do what he needed to do. When he first came in, he tried to get information on Clay, where he was, how he was doing. But this wasn't an army hospital and saying that he was the team's medic wasn't getting him anywhere. 

Trent didn't know what was holding him back. He had been dating Clay for more than a year now. The people that mattered the most, his parents, his sister, and Scott, they all knew he was bisexual. And probably Brock too, he was pretty observant. Why did it matter if the receptionist knew that he was dating a man? Or the hospital staff? DADT had been repealed for a few years now, so he couldn't be discharged for it either.

Trent took a deep breath, and slowly stood up. This was his worst fear and it was time to get over it. Clay needed him. He made his way carefully over to the receptionist. "Excuse me?" Trent asked, trying to get her attention.

The frazzled woman glanced over at the man. Recognizing him from before, she repeated what she had said earlier. "I'm sorry, but hospital policies will not allow me to update you on your army friend's status."

"Yes ma'am, I do recall you saying that." Trent paused for a moment, looking down at his shoes and trying to gather the confidence to say what he needed to say. Looking back up at the receptionist, he passed over his identification. "But Mr. Spenser isn't just my army friend. He's my boyfriend and I'm fairly certain that I'm listed as his medical proxy. Can I please see him?"

The receptionist took Trent's drivers license and double checked it against the name of the medical proxy on the patient’s file. It matched. "Yes, Mr. Sawyer, you are listed as Mr. Spenser's medical proxy. Please go through these doors and follow the yellow arrows to the surgical wing." She saw the flash of panic shoot through Trent's eyes. "Sir, your partner is alive and already out of surgery. The doctor will be able to fill you in." 

Trent nodded, appreciative of her perception. Then he headed on into the surgical wing to check on his boyfriend.

XXXXX

When Clay came to, it wasn’t the beeping from the machines or the bright lights revealing the sterile room that surprised him, but the feel of someone holding his hand. Glancing over, he could see that while Trent had fallen asleep in a chair next to his bed, he still had his left hand clenched around Clay’s right. Not wanting to disturb his boyfriend’s rest, and not sure that he could stay awake much longer himself, he closed his eyes and let himself fall back to sleep, knowing that Trent would still be there when he woke again.


End file.
